Kathleen Quillian

Kathleen Quillian’s grandmother is 72 years old and facing a new stage in her life with her first tattoo.

I’ve been warned never to get a tattoo because I’ll regret it when I’m older. That makes sense, as the image of me sitting in a nursing home with a Mickey Mouse tattoo on my lower back seems silly.

But, my grandmother, who is 72 years old, probably has some different advice. About five years ago, my grandfather got caught up with the wrong people and was sent to jail, and he is still there. My grandmother now has to support herself for the first time in her life. But she’s made life changes with ease and grace. I’m so impressed.

My grandmother says her spirit feels free and she now thinks of herself as a joyful hummingbird - which is why a three-inch beautiful and vibrant hummingbird now rests on her shoulder. Yep, she just got her first tattoo! She is the only grandmother I know who could pull it off and it fits her perfectly.

Just like a hummingbird, she has been gathering sweet wisdom her whole life. When my brother put silly putty in my hair, she knew just how to get it out. And every time I’ve been injured in soccer games, which is a lot, she’s been there with balloons and flowers.

I think the symbolism of her getting a tattoo and starting a new chapter in her life is a lesson I can learn from. I know my grandmother will be there for me when I get my first hummingbird tattoo.